Detroit Lions eventually plan to start resting DE Kyle Vanden Bosch on Wednesdays again

AP PhotoThe Lions eventually plan to return defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch to his practice schedule from last season.

ALLEN PARK -- Last year, the Detroit Lions implemented a plan to hold Kyle Vanden Bosch out of practice on Wednesdays to keep the veteran defensive end fresh throughout the season. The plan proved effective as he finished with eight sacks, his most since the 2007 season.

Through the first two weeks of the 2012 season, Vanden Bosch has been on the practice field every day. Lions coach Jim Schwartz says he plans to return the 33-year-old Vanden Bosch to last year's schedule once he's fully back in game shape after missing a significant portion of training camp and the preseason with a knee injury.

"We're knocking the rust off a little bit with him, but we'll probably get back to that at some point," Schwartz said. "He had an extended period of being down in training camp and (he's) just starting to get his conditioning and his legs underneath of him. When it's time, we'll get back to that. It's just going to be the way that we handle him, pretty much from now on."

Vanden Bosch, a relentless worker, who is known for going full bore during every practice, would prefer to be on the field every day, but has previously accepted the wisdom of his coach's decision.

"There are very few people I respect more than coach Schwartz," Vanden Bosch said last season. "He's been around football a lot longer than I have, and I think he has a good plan. My role coming into this team is helping win in any way I can."